In late 1872 Jacob Davis (below) a Reno, Nevada tailor, started making men’s work pants with metal points of strain for greater strength. He wanted to patent the process but needed a business helper, so he turned to Levi Strauss (above) from whom he purchased some of his fabric. On May 20, 1873, Strauss and Davis received a U.S. patent for using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets of denim work pants. Levi Strauss & Co. began manufacturing the famous Levi’s brand of jeans, using fabric from a textile manufacturing company in Manchester, New Hampshire.